Portrait of Charles II d'Amboise

Portrait of Charles II d'Amboise by Andrea Solari, dated 1507 and now in the Louvre, depicts the Governor of Milan who served as Solari's primary French patron during his time in France. Charles d'Amboise was one of the most powerful figures in early sixteenth-century French politics — a military commander, administrator, and patron who facilitated Leonardo da Vinci's eventual move to France. Solari's portrait of him is a major document of the cultural exchange between Milan and France in this period; as the governor's court painter, Solari created the most authoritative image of one of France's most significant political figures in Italy. The Louvre's acquisition makes this a key work in the museum's collection of sixteenth-century French and Italian patronage.

Oil on panel with Solari's Leonardesque approach to portraiture — the three-quarter view, the sfumato modeling of facial planes that gives Charles's features a subtle atmospheric depth, the plain or landscape background directing full attention to the sitter's face and the authority of his gaze. The costume details and heraldic elements confirm his rank and status.